At eight months, your baby probably will be sitting without support. Although she may topple over from time to time, she’ll usually catch herself with her arms. As the muscles in her trunk grow stronger, she’ll also start leaning over to pick up toys. Eventually she’ll figure out how to roll down onto her stomach and get back up to a sitting position.
When she’s lying on a flat surface, your baby is now in constant motion. When on her stomach, she’ll arch her neck so she can look around, and when on her back, she’ll grab her feet (or anything else nearby) and pull them to her mouth. But she won’t be content to stay on her back for long. She can turn over at will now and flip without a moment’s notice. This can be especially dangerous during diaper changes, so you may want to retire her changing table, using instead the floor or a bed from which she’s less likely to fall. Never leave her alone for an instant at any time.
All this activity strengthens muscles for crawling, a skill that usually is mastered between seven and ten months. For a while she simply may rock on her hands and knees. Since her arm muscles are better developed than her legs, she may even push herself backward instead of forward. But with time and practice she’ll discover that, by digging with her knees and pushing off, she can propel herself forward across the room toward the target of her choice.
A few children never do crawl. Instead, they use alternative movement methods, such as scooting on their bottoms or slithering on their stomachs. As long as your baby is learning to coordinate each side of her body and is using each arm and leg equally, there’s no cause for concern. The important thing is that she’s able to explore her surroundings on her own and is strengthening her body in preparation for walking. If you feel your child is not moving normally, discuss your concern with the pediatrician.
How can you encourage your child to crawl? Try presenting her with intriguing objects placed just beyond her reach. As she becomes more agile, create miniature obstacle courses using pillows, boxes, and sofa cushions for her to crawl over and between. Join in the game by hiding behind one of the obstacles and surprising her with a “peekaboo!” Don’t ever leave your baby unsupervised among these props, though. If she falls between pillows or under a box, she might not be able to pull herself out. This is bound to frighten her, and she could even smother.
Last Updated 8/1/2009
Source Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
